But there's a great encouragement,
a rock-solid promise is laying right here for all who have tasted
that the Lord is gracious. This is chapter 33. We'll look at verse 1 just to
set it up. Make sure this thing is on. And this is the blessing where
with Moses, the man of God blessed the children of Israel before
his death. Now these are like his last words, because it's
Deuteronomy 34 and then it's over. So this is Moses' parting
blessings to his people. And this is the last blessing
of the tribes in verse 24. And of Asher, Moses said, let
Asher be blessed with children. Let him be acceptable to his
brethren and let him dip his foot in oil. Thy shoes shall
be iron and brass. And this is what I want to look
at as thy days. So shall thy strength be. Oh,
but preacher, I need to know you don't. Let tomorrow take
care of itself. Sufficient for tomorrow is the
evil thereof, is what the scripture says. So this is what I want
us to do. I want us to look in the face
of Christ and see he's sovereign. I don't care what's happening
in Washington. I don't care what's happening
in Gaza. I don't care what's happening anywhere. God is on the throne
all the time. We just don't see it. We're busy
working, taking care of our children, paying taxes, and these are all
proper in their place. Render unto Caesar those things
which are his. When we gather together, we're not going to
get political. We're not going to get charged
up about that stuff. Why? Because as your days, and
your days are numbered, your days are numbered. God's that
sovereign. He's that in control. As your
days, as my days. Well, I don't know if I'm going
to have dying grace. I don't know if I'm going to
have, as your days, so shall your strength be. You see, it's
easy. It's right here. The Word of
God is without error. I believe this is the entire
canonization of the Word of God. There's nothing added, nothing
taken away. It's basically like Pastor Joe says, The book has
been written, the author's finished it, and we're just up here retelling.
I'm not inventing anything new, not inventing any new doctrines.
God is sovereign. We're totally, we were born in
sin, totally depraved. In Adam all die, we died in Adam.
The only way there's gonna be life is if he imparts life. How does he do that? Through
the preaching of his word. So this last blessing is a large
one indeed. What is said here to Asher, we
who have tasted that the Lord is gracious may also tuck this
promise away for our use and edification. I hope that we would
do what David said. And I'll read this passage. I
love this passage. And it's in Psalms 81 verse 10.
You don't have to turn there. But he says, open thy mouth wide And I will fill it. I am the
Lord thy God. That's who's speaking in Psalms.
Open your mouth wide and he'll fill it. Our problem is we don't
open it wide. But the picture here is like
those little chicks, you know, little baby chicks in the nest
and they got their head and they're almost all mouth because it's
wide open. He says, open your mouth and
I'll fill it. But we're too stubborn. We're
too, we're right. We think we have a corner on
God. Nobody does. His believers understand him
more than anybody, but his ways are not our ways. We look through
a glass darkly so we don't see him as he really is, but he gives
us glimpses. And he gives us hope as we journey,
as we go through this land, as we do our jobs, as we take care
of our families. Let's look at this a little bit
closer. The life of grace in the believer is one of varying
days, it's changing tides, it has ebbs and flows. Sometimes
we wake up and it's cloudy mornings, midday storms, calm evenings,
silent nights. Each saint goes through his or
her seasons particular to themselves. I don't work where you work,
you didn't work where I work, so I have particular struggles
you don't know about. You have particular struggles
I don't know about, but I know God who's, omnipresent and omniscient
knows and sees all. So that's why we go to him, looking
unto Jesus. Yet I tell you, this verse, this
solid rock promise is settled from before eternity to help
us in our particular time of need. As thy days, so shall thy
strength be. We want more grace. What happened historically, which
is, these are all such beautiful pictures. Historically, what
happened when the children of Israel were wandering through
the wilderness and the manna came down and they had to gather
the manna? If they had more than they needed,
what happened to that? It stunk and it bred worms. Isn't that what it is? So, he
says, give us this day our daily bread. Not, you know, we got
all these inventions and things to make it easier. And it does
make it easier, but, you know, it's supposed to make it easier
for time. We have less time than we've ever had. We're busy. Give us this day our daily bread.
Grace, His grace is sufficient. But I say that this phrase, as
thy days so shall thy strength be, I say that phrase is strong
in its phrase, it's secure in its letter, it's safe in this
truth, and it's happy in its assertion. This is faith's confidence. What was Job's confidence? The
fact that he could resist Satan, no, Satan says you've got to
hedge about them. And every believer's got to hedge about them by God. And things that come through,
it's got to come through that hedge. It's got to come through
Christ to get to us. Daniel, in Daniel chapter 3,
those three who were in the fiery furnace, untouchable. Untouchable. Second Kings, we
see Elijah was surrounded by the enemy, but he was sovereignly
protected as he was surrounded by the enemy, but surrounded
the enemy were the heavenly hosts. He told that his right-hand boy
that was assisting him, he says, he came out of the tent and he
goes, oh master, he says, we're in trouble. The Syrians are all
around us. And then Elijah said, Lord opened
his eyes and he opened his eyes and he saw all these angels. defending. As our days, so shall our strength
be. Everything may be against us
because the believer does not have, he has trials and tribulations
and afflictions like everybody. But the strength that he is given
is based upon the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ. And this is
enough. Do we look for more? We shouldn't. Christ is sufficient. Christ
is sufficient. Satan may assault, the world
will mock and gang up on us, but the lowly believer has a
solid foundation on which to build. As our days, so shall
our strength be. And literally, the way this is,
it's worded is, as our days, thy strength. If you take out
the italics, that's what's implied, not the original. It's the same
thing. It says the same thing. Simply
put, as thy days, thy strength. If your strength is in Christ,
not in yourself. Not in yourself. I know us men,
a lot of times when stuff gets out of hand, we'll reach back
for our wallet. We'll take care of that. Well,
what if it's gone? What if the money's dried up? And as you
get older, you're young, you can do certain things, you know,
physically, we get older. Not so much. I know that. It's just what we are. But still
the promise, if you're a young believer, if you're middle-aged,
if you're an older believer, this promise, it knows no alteration. It knows no alteration. We have
a sufficient refuge, a strong tower of defense, Anything more
than this is to begin to attempt God. He does not promise tomorrow. Let us not look or cook up homemade
troubles or seek to know beforehand the issues of our life. As Christ
said, what is that to thee? Follow thou me, John 21. When
the disciples were, well, what about this guy? What about this
guy? What's he gonna do? What is that to thee? Follow thou
me. Follow thou me. Again, the eyes
need to be centered to Christ and Christ alone. Yes, we are
to be wise in our day to day operations. Who does not take
assessment? You know, in the scripture says
when he builds a building, a house, his time, his money, his efforts,
but let us not doubt this promise, but let us simply rest in its
choice of words. Scripture says, don't take any
thought for tomorrow, Matthew 6. So there's that balance. I
don't know what that is and I'm not going to give you a formula.
The Lord, if you're led by the Spirit, He will direct you into
all truth. He's just going to use this.
I hope He uses this to comfort us. Because I struggle with this
all the time. You wake up, you've got a new
ache. What is that? What can I do to
take care of that? Maybe there's nothing you can
do. Maybe there's nothing. Let's look in the scriptures,
let's look back in faith at the elder saints prior to the New
Testament. Let's look back and let's see,
what about Jacob? How did Jacob triumph over an
outcast life? How did he overcome the trickery
or deception of Laban? How did he overcome overwhelming
griefs and numerous enemies, fightings without, fears within?
Strength was given as freely as his pardon of grace. He didn't
work for salvation. He couldn't earn it. It was freely
given by Christ. So was this, this reverse here. As thy days, so shall thy strength
be. He found strength as his days
were. as his days were. What about
David's life? David, we look at, his life confronts
us. He was hated by many. His son, Absalom, tried to kill
him, dishonored him. A wife who chided him. Sin was ever near, and at times
overwhelmed him. Yet, at the end, he revives his
strength, he takes hold of the promise, the everlasting covenant,
2 Samuel, these would be the last words of David. What did
he say? He said, God has made with me
an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure. It may
not grow, this is all my hope and all my salvation. He knew
the covenant God, covenant making God, between Christ and God the
Father, God the Son and God the Spirit. And he was included in
that. And sure as this promise to David
in that covenant, as sure as this promise is before us this
morning, as thy days, so shall thy strength be. Let's lay aside
that weight. And I'm not saying you don't
have parental responsibilities. I'm not saying you don't have
parental cares. Things happen. Stuff happens. And burdens, they
accumulate. Well, when you worry, like the
scripture says, can you add to your height? Can you add one
cubic to the stature to your height? Can't do it. So I implore you, look to Christ. See that he has done everything
necessary, everything required, the law. Law, we can't fulfill.
If you can't fulfill the law, you're guilty. If you violate
one, you're guilty of a law. Christ is the perfect substitute. And that's what he did. He substituted
his life, a ransom for many, the scripture says. And those
who he substituted will be saved. There's no question. Okay, third,
let's view Paul. He was buffeted, slandered, left
for dead. He was won as having the sentence
of death upon him. However, how could he write Romans
8.28? All things work together for
good to them that love God and to them who are the called according
to his purpose, not our purpose. We're born speaking, David says,
I was born shaping an iniquity from the womb. You don't have
to tell your kid, you don't have to teach your children to lie.
They do that on their own. That's our nature. That's what
we do. But he could still write that.
Yes, that's how he could write. How could this one, how could
he see, look death in the eyes and then go preach to his enemies? Well, he knew his days, so was his strength. God-given
strength was gonna be in that. Let's turn to 2 Corinthians 2. Paul, he's like you and I. He's not a super saint, he's
just like you and I. He was buffeted by his flesh,
and he asked the Lord, like we would, you know, you wake up
and you, well, I, you know, instead of going to the doctor, or go
to the doctor, but instead of doing that first, go to the Lord. Well, what would you have me
to do? What would you, you know, should I do this? And it's only,
and we're convinced of this, you know, these pills and all
this other stuff for high blood pressure and all these different
things that we take, that's fine, but if God does not allow that
to work, it's not gonna work. And you're not going to live
any longer because your days are numbered. So if I ought to live
like I want to, that's not what I'm saying. You know me better
than that. But don't think, don't think,
the doctor, I have a heart situation, you know, thank you doctor, you
did a good job. I thank you for your skill. But
the Lord directed his hands. That's what the believer knows.
This is what Paul knew. He said, verse 6 of 2 Corinthians
12, verse 6, for though I would desire to glory, says Paul, I
should not be a fool for I will say the truth, but now I forbear
lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth
me to be or that he heareth of me. And lest I should be exalted
above measure, through the abundance of the revelations there was
given to me a thorn in the flesh." I don't know what that was. "...the
messenger of Satan to buffet me lest I should be exalted above
measure. For this thing I besought the
Lord thrice that it might depart from me." So people say prayer
changes things. No, it doesn't. It changes you, it doesn't change
God. God's got everything foreordained
and settled from before the foundation of the world. So Paul's just
like you and I. He says, I asked the Lord, because
that's who we need to go to. It could be that he will use
prayer and bless me and take this away from me. I have sought the Lord three
times. And he said, my grace is sufficient for thee. For my
strength is made perfect in weakness. So if we stop right there, what
are you going to do? You're going to murmur and complain and whine. I just can't do what I used to
do. Well, Paul says, most gladly, therefore, I'd rather glory in
my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me. It's
about Christ. It's not about us. We're just
kind of along for the ride. But he does care for his people.
I'm not making him an unemotional third party. So how could Paul
say that? Why would he say that? Wherefore
would he say that? Because he knew what all believers know,
that we are, we sing that song, we are immortal until our work
is done. We are immortal here until our
work is done. Or as David said in Psalms 31,
my times are in your hands. And I put all, all my times. My times. Do we believe that? Do we believe that? It's just,
it's a promise. In Psalms 31 verse 15, that's
a promise. Lay hold of that promise just
like this promise. As thy days, so shall thy strength
be. And if we could look at Hebrews
11, that great historic chapter of faith, they died. They ran
around naked, the sword, they got cut asunder, all that, well,
was that in God's plan? Yes, obviously. Our God's on the throne. We know
faith is not in us naturally, it is the gift of God. We cannot
earn it, work for it, produce it. It must be given, revealed
to us supernaturally. And we know that without faith,
it's impossible to please God. We sing that song, O to grace,
how great a debtor, daily I am constrained to be. Are we? Are
we still relying on the flesh? How could the writer of Hebrews,
which some think was Paul, how could he say such things in Hebrews
11? Why? How could he say it? Because God gave each of these
pilgrims the fruit of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, trusting
in him alone for everything necessary for life, forgiveness, and free
pardon, and made it known by the outside agency of the Holy
Spirit as our days, so shall our strength be. I don't understand
why God does a lot of things. But mine is just to bow to Him
and say, your will be done. That's a lot of it. So I close,
and I say this to each and every one of us, as your days, so shall your strength
be. If you're a believer in Christ,
don't tremble. Do not draw back unto perdition,
but move forward in full armor. That's the armors provided, the
breastplate, the helmet, the fleet. It's all provided by the
grace of God, by the son of God. We have the promise before us.
It's sure and it's true. Lay hold of it. One old writer
said, appropriate it to yourself. You cannot overdraw from God's
bank account. You cannot do it. Why do we live
so, and I include myself, why do I live so feebly and doubt
God so often? Open the mouth wide and he will
fill it because he's God and we're not. He can do these things. Can he save our children? Yes,
he can do that. Look for a promise in the word.
Will you, you know, will I endure, that was something that Bruce
and I talked about when this thing got going 30 something
years ago. He that endures to the end, the
same shall be said. Well, will I endure to the end?
Will I endure to the end? Take this promise as my days,
so shall my strength. Yes, in Christ, I will. Not in myself, never in ourselves. May Asher's blessings be ours. The gold is still refined. The
pearl is still of great price. The crimson stain still flows
abundantly for those who know their need. Those who know they
have nothing good in themselves. I'm so tired of hearing people
talk about I, I, me, me, this. This religion has been since
Cain and Abel. There's only two religions in
the world, not Baptist, not Catholic. No, two religions, Cain and Abel,
works or grace. You either come with the lamb
that was slain before the foundation of the world, and trust in his
merits and his blood, or you go about like Cain and do the
best you can, and your best is, pardon me, is not pardon, is
Isaiah's filthy rags. It's nothing good. There's nothing
good. And the believer, this is offensive
language, because the cross is offensive. But the believer is
like, You're talking about me. You've been reading my mail again.
No, I haven't. I just know you're like me. So
that's the truth of it. Let us not, let not this precious
coin drop from our hands or from our view. If that happens, you'll
be lost forever and you'll face the wrath and judgment of God. And there's, it's not over when
you die, it's not over. Eternal life or eternal death.
So I tell you, only believe, trust in Christ and His righteousness. And I can say this, as your days,
so shall your strength be. Because your strength is His
strength. And I'm thankful, because I don't
have it. And the older I go, the older I get, the weaker I
appear to be. That's life. Brian, would you
close us?